Dining in Space, Playing with Food

Trying to eat in zero gravity can be weird, and comical too.

I read that the astronauts on the ISS have a kitchen where there is no real cooking done. It has a dining table, but no stove. The Russians supply canned food, and the Americans supply food in sealed plastic pouches. The food is pre-cooked, and can be reheated. They eat with spoons, no knives or forks. There is no refrigerator; if they want to have a cold drink, they have to prepare it and leave it in a part of the station that is cold and go back for it later.

While living on the station, many of the astronauts develop a craving for spicey foods, even if they weren't partial to them previously. One theory is that the weightlessness of space causes congestion in the head, and so the astronauts may crave spicey foods to relieve the congestion.

And of course, there's lots of opportunity to play with one's food.